Advanced networked lighting control system including improved systems and methods for automated self-grouping of lighting fixtures

ABSTRACT

An advanced lighting control system including systems for commissioning a network of lighting fixtures preferably includes a plurality of lighting fixtures, each having a sensor and control module. The sensor and control module includes occupancy and light sensing elements, and a first transceiver. The lighting fixtures can send wireless signals to a second transceiver located in a room controller and/or a network coordinator. The room controller being configured to interpret the occupancy and light sensing information and make decisions thereon, while the network coordinator can rank the lighting fixtures according to a determined signal strength. The network coordinator can command each of the lighting fixtures to illuminate, and based on an observation of the lighting fixture, a determination is made about whether the lighting fixture is located in a particular room. The network coordinator can also include a third transceiver for receiving wireless commands from a remote device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of co-pending U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/439,012, filed Feb. 22, 2017, entitled “AdvancedNetworked Lighting Control System Including Improved Systems and Methodsfor Automated Self-Grouping of Lighting Fixtures”, which application isa non-provisional of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/299,294,filed Feb. 24, 2016, titled “Advanced Networked Lighting Control SystemIncluding Improved Systems and Methods for Automated Self-Grouping ofLighting Fixtures” the entirety of which applications are incorporatedby reference herein.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates generally to lighting control systems,and more particularly to an advanced networked lighting control systemincluding an improved system and method for automated grouping of thelighting fixtures in the networked lighting control system.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

During the installation and commissioning of a networked lightingcontrol system, setup, discovery, address assignment, locationidentification, and the like, consume significant amounts of time andmanual work. For example, in many cases a commissioning agent mustidentify the various lighting fixtures on a floor plan, and mustmanually set up a unique address for each lighting fixture or group oflighting fixtures, often by setting DIP switches on each lightingfixture.

During installation, a commissioning agent may use a paper floor plan tomark lighting fixture locations with their respective addresses and mayuse this information to group the fixtures into their respective controllocations. For example, fixtures in a particular room may need to bemanually grouped so that they can be controlled as a unit, or anoccupancy sensor may need to be manually grouped with the fixtures itcontrols. This process tends to be very labor intensive and is alsoprone to mistakes. Moreover, it is time consuming to add additionalfixtures to an existing floor plan after the initial commissioning iscompleted.

Testing and troubleshooting fixtures in a lighting control network isalso time consuming often involving a significant amount of manuallabor. Commissioning agents often need to identify the fixture(s) in aspecific room through building layout documents, then walk to the roomand trouble shoot the devices in that room. Adding to the complexity isthat the master (central) controllers are often located in electricalclosets or behind ceilings, and it is often necessary to connect a userinput to the master controller which, in turn, requires accessing andopening the master controller to connect the user input thereto.

It would therefore be desirable to provide an improved networkedlighting control system that includes improved systems and methods foridentifying and grouping fixtures into the lighting control system tominimize manual inputs, and to reduce or eliminate grouping errors.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the DetailedDescription. This Summary is not intended to identify key features oressential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended asan aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

Disclosed herein are improved advanced lighting control systems andmethods for automated detecting and grouping lighting fixtures into anetworked lighting control system. As such, the systems and methodspreferably are implemented in a manner that reduces or minimizes theneed for user interaction. The systems and methods preferably include aplurality of lighting fixtures, each having a sensor and control module.Each sensor and control module may include occupancy and light sensingelements, and a first transceiver. The lighting fixtures preferablytransmit wireless signals to a second transceiver located in a roomcontroller and/or a network coordinator. The room controller beingconfigured to interpret the received occupancy and light sensinginformation and make decisions thereon, while the network coordinatormay be able to identify all nearby suitable nodes, and group the nearbynodes into a networked lighting group. The network coordinator may beable to rank the lighting fixtures according to a determined signalstrength. The network coordinator may also be able to command each ofthe lighting fixtures to illuminate, and based on an observation of thelighting fixture, a determination is made about whether the lightingfixture is located in a particular room. The network coordinator mayalso include a third transceiver for receiving wireless commands from aremote device

In one example embodiment, the lighting control system may include aroom controller and a plurality of intelligent lighting fixtures,whereby each fixture is preferably integrated or associated with a powerpack module, and a sensor and control module. For example, the sensorand control module, and the power pack module may be integrated into thehousing of the fixture. Alternatively, the sensor and control module maybe mounted in the ceiling alongside the fixture, while the power packmay be integrated into or associated with the fixture above the ceiling.Communications between the sensor and control module, and the power packmodule may be via a serial cable.

The room controller may be incorporated into an entry station thatincludes one or more user accessible interfaces (e.g., buttons, slides,etc.) for receiving user instructions. Each lighting fixture preferablyincludes an occupancy sensor and a light sensing element (e.g., aphotocell) for collecting information on the room's occupancy andambient light level, respectively. This information may be transmittedto the sensor and control module. Using a processor and a transceiverlocated in the sensor and control module, the information may betransmitted to the room controller. The room controller is preferablyresponsible for collecting all sensor information from all fixtures inthe networked lighting group and any information from user interactionwith the one or more entry stations. Based on all of the informationreceived, the room controller preferably determines what actions areneeded and transmits control signals to the sensor and control modulesin the respective fixtures. Based on the control signal received, thesensor and control module may instruct the lighting fixture to TURN ON,TURN OFF, DIM UP, or DIM DOWN the lights.

The lighting control system preferably also incorporates one or morewireless communication links. For example, one or more wirelesscommunication chips or technology may be integrated into the sensor andcontrol module, room controller, etc. The wireless communication systempreferably enables wireless communications between the various lightingfixtures and the room controller and/or network coordinator. Inaddition, additional wireless communications may be incorporated intothe room controller and/or network coordinator to facilitate wirelesscommunications with a smart device (e.g., smartphone, tablet, laptop,etc.), to facilitate commissioning, configuration and support for thesystem.

In this manner, the plurality of lighting fixtures facilitates “out ofthe box” discovery and grouping of all of the lighting fixtures locatedwithin a particular room so that they can be controlled and configuredas a single unit with little or no installer interaction.

In one example embodiment, the system for commissioning a network oflighting fixtures may include a plurality of lighting fixtures whereeach of the plurality of lighting fixtures including a lighting element;an identifier unique to each of said plurality of lighting fixtures; asensor module associated with at least one of the lighting elements, thesensor module including an occupancy sensing element, a light sensingelement and a first transceiver; and a network coordinator comprising asecond transceiver. The network coordinator may be configured todiscover, group and control a portion of the plurality of lightingfixtures by communicating with the first transceivers of each of theplurality of lighting fixtures. The network coordinator may also includea processor programmed to: receive, via the second wireless transceiver,respective wireless messages sent from each of the plurality of lightingfixtures, each of the respective wireless messages including theidentifier associated with the respective lighting fixture; determine arespective signal strength associated with each of said respectivewireless messages; and rank each of the plurality of lighting fixturesaccording to the determined signal strength.

The network coordinator may also include a third transceiver forreceiving wireless messages from a remote device for controlling anoperational function of the network coordinator.

In one example embodiment, the method for commissioning a networkedlighting system may include sending, from a plurality of lightingfixtures, respective wireless messages to a network coordinatorassociated with an area, each of the respective wireless messagesincluding an identifier associated with the respective lighting fixture;receiving, at the network coordinator, the respective wireless messages;determining, at the network coordinator, a respective signal strengthassociated with each of said respective wireless messages; ranking eachof the plurality of lighting fixtures according to the determined signalstrength; sending, from the network coordinator, a wireless message to ahighest ranked one of said plurality of lighting fixtures, the wirelessmessage instructing the highest ranked one to illuminate an associatedlighting element; determining whether said illuminated lighting elementis located within the area; and keeping the highest ranked one in anetworked lighting group if said illuminated lighting element isdetermined to be located within the area, or removing the highest rankedone from said networked lighting group if said illuminated lightingelement is determined not to be located within the area.

The method for commissioning a networked lighting system may alsoinclude activating an automated grouping process comprising: sending,from the network coordinator, a wireless message to the highest rankedone to turn off its associated lighting element; sending, from thenetwork coordinator, a wireless message to a next lighting fixture, thewireless message instructing the next lighting fixture to illuminate anassociated lighting element; determining whether said illuminatedlighting element is located within the area by monitoring one or morelight sensing elements in the one or more lighting fixtures in thenetworked lighting group for an increase in ambient light level in thearea; and keeping the next lighting fixture in the networked lightinggroup if said illuminated lighting element is determined to be locatedwithin the area, or removing the next lighting fixture from saidnetworked lighting group if said illuminated lighting element isdetermined not to be located within the area.

The present disclosure further discloses a number of methods forautomating or partially automating discovering, grouping, commissioning,and controlling wirelessly enabled intelligent lighting fixtures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

By way of example, a specific embodiment of the disclosed invention willnow be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary lighting system accordingto a first preferred embodiment of the disclosure;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are schematic diagrams showing the placement andstructure of an exemplary entry station according to the lighting systemof FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an exemplary layout of lighting fixtures inmultiple rooms of a building;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary lighting system accordingto a second preferred embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a sensor and controlmodule for the lighting system of FIG. 4, the sensor and control moduleincluding multiple wireless transceivers;

FIG. 6 is a logic diagram illustrating a first preferred embodiment ofthe disclosed method;

FIG. 7 is a logic diagram illustrating a second preferred embodiment ofthe disclosed method;

FIG. 8 is a logic diagram illustrating a third preferred embodiment ofthe disclosed method;

FIG. 9 is a logic diagram illustrating a fourth preferred embodiment ofthe disclosed method;

FIG. 10 is a logic diagram illustrating a fifth preferred embodiment ofthe disclosed method;

FIG. 11 is a logic diagram illustrating a sixth preferred embodiment ofthe disclosed method;

FIG. 12 is a logic diagram illustrating an alternate preferredembodiment of the disclosed method; and

FIG. 13 is a logic diagram illustrating an alternate preferredembodiment of the disclosed method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure relates to an advanced networked lighting controlsystem including improved systems and methods for automaticallydetecting and grouping wireles sly enabled lighting fixtures installedin commercial, residential or other spaces. Advantageously, the systemsand methods for automatically detecting and grouping wireles sly enabledlighting fixtures may be implemented in a manner that reduces orminimizes the need for user interaction. As will be described, thedisclosed systems and methods enable a network of lighting fixtures tobe installed and integrated into a lighting control system in a moreefficient and less manually intensive manner compared to presentsystems.

In a preferred embodiment, the lighting control system includes a roomcontroller 10 and a plurality of intelligent lighting fixtures 2,whereby each fixture 2 is preferably integrated or associated with apower pack module and a sensor and control module. For example, thesensor and control module and the power pack module may be integratedinto the housing of the fixture. This may be particularly useful wherethe fixture is a troffer or linear fixture. Alternatively, the sensorand control module may be mounted in the ceiling (e.g., a drop ceiling)alongside the fixture, while the power pack may be integrated into orassociated with the fixture above the ceiling (e.g., the power pack maybe mounted to an existing electrical box via a knock out). This may beparticularly useful where the fixture is a recessed lighting fixture.Communications between the sensor and control module and the power packmodule may be via a serial cable.

As will be described herein, in use, the room controller 10 ispreferably incorporated into an entry station that includes one or moreuser accessible interfaces (e.g., buttons, slides, etc.) for receivinguser instructions. Alternatively, the room controller and the entrystation may be located in separate and distinct housings. For example,the entry station may be located adjacent an entrance 28 to a room whilethe room controller may be located within the ceiling or wall. Morepreferably, each lighting control system 1 includes a line powered entrystation that incorporates the room controller functionality therein.Each lighting control system 1 may also include one or more batterypowered entry stations (not shown) for placement within a room asrequired or desired. The battery powered entry stations preferablypermit user interactions for turning the lights ON, OFF, and dimmingcontrol. The battery powered entry stations preferably also incorporatea wireless communications chip for communicating with the roomcontroller or the line powered entry station with room controllerfunctionality.

As will be described herein, in use, each lighting fixture preferablyincludes an occupancy sensor and a photocell for collecting informationon the room's occupancy and ambient light level, respectively. Thisinformation is then transmitted to the sensor and control module. Usinga processor and a transceiver located in the sensor and control module,the information is transmitted to the room controller. The roomcontroller is preferably responsible for collecting all sensorinformation from all fixtures in the network and any information fromuser interaction with the one or more entry stations. Based on all ofthe information received, the room controller determines what actionsare needed and transmits control signals to the sensor and controlmodules in the respective fixtures (“room controller functionality”).Based on the control signal received, the sensor and control moduleinstructs the power pack to TURN ON, TURN OFF, DIM UP, or DIM DOWN thelights. Alternatively, it will be appreciated that the sensor andcontrol module may be communicatively coupled to the lighting elementdirectly, without the intervening power pack. For example, the sensorand control module may communicate directly with the lighting elementdriver or ballast. Alternatively, the sensor and control module maycommunicate directly with the lighting element. For example, thelighting element may be a Chip-On-Board (“COB”) and the sensor andcontrol module may communicate directly with the COB via an applicablecommunication protocol (e.g., DMX). Communicating directly with thelighting element or its associated driver or ballast eliminates the needfor the intervening relay or power pack.

The lighting control system preferably also incorporates one or morewireless communication links. For example, one or more wirelesscommunication chips or technology may be integrated into the sensor andcontrol module, room controller, battery powered entry stations, orpower pack. The wireless communication system preferably enableswireless communications between the various lighting fixtures and theroom controller. In addition, the wireless communication systempreferably enables wireless communications between the room controllerand the battery powered entry stations. In addition, additional wirelesscommunications may be incorporated into the room controller tofacilitate wireless communications with a smart device (e.g.,smartphone, tablet, laptop, etc.), to facilitate commissioning,configuration and support for the system. Such communications can beimplemented with a personal area network (PAN) that functions in the ISMband at 2.4 GHz. Two examples of such PAN's are a wireless mesh networksuch as ZigBee®, Bluetooth® and particularly Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).In one non-limiting exemplary embodiment the wireless communicationsbetween the various fixtures, room controller and battery powered entrystations can be accomplished via, for example, ZigBee®, Bluetooth® orBLE, while wireless communications between the room controller and thesmart device can be accomplished via, for example, BLE.

As will be described in much greater detail below, a plurality oflighting fixtures may be installed in one or more rooms of a building.The disclosed systems and methods facilitate “out of the box” discoveryand grouping of all of the lighting fixtures located within a particularroom (a “targeted room”) so that they can be controlled and configuredas a single unit with little or no installer interaction.

As an initial step, the room controller, via a network coordinator,compiles a list of all adjacent lighting fixtures. This may beaccomplished by any mechanism now known or hereafter developed. Forexample, in a ZigBee enabled system, the network coordinator may issue ajoin message. Any node (e.g., ZigBee enabled fixture or other ZigBeeenabled device) that is not part of a network can transmit a wirelessmessage to the network coordinator. Every transmitting node is thenallowed to join the network. In this manner, a list of every ZigBeeenabled device is compiled. In one particularly preferred embodiment,the fixtures can be preprogrammed to transmit a “beacon” or discoverysignal for automatic discovery via the network coordinator disposed in,or associated with, the room controller. In this manner, once the systemis installed, the room controller, via the network coordinator, cancompile a listing of lighting fixtures based on the received beacontransmitted by each lighting fixture. Alternatively, the lightingfixtures may be configured to begin sending wireless activation signalsto the network coordinator as soon as the lighting fixtures are poweredup. In yet another embodiment, the lighting fixtures may be configuredto begin sending wireless activation signals to the network coordinatorwhen an associated occupancy sensor senses movement in the room in whichthe lighting fixture is installed. Using the occupancy sensor has theadvantage of reducing the total number of nodes attempting tosimultaneously transmit a wireless activation/discovery message. Instill other embodiments, once the lighting fixtures are installed, aninstaller may instruct the room controller (preferably in the form of aline powered entry station) to transmit a wireless activation signal tosome or all of the installed lighting fixtures. All of the lightingfixtures that receive the wireless activation signal can, in response,send a wireless acknowledgement signal back to the network coordinatordisposed in, or associated with, the room controller. Based on thewireless signal (e.g., beacon, discovery, activation, acknowledgement,etc.), the network coordinator disposed in, or associated with, the roomcontroller can compile a listing of lighting fixtures (including thoseinside and outside of the targeted room). In this way all of thelighting fixtures within range of the wireless signal can beautomatically “discovered” by the room controller.

Next, the room controller can preferably determine which of the receivedsignals (e.g., beacon, discovery, activation, acknowledgement, etc.) isthe strongest, and presuming that the lighting fixture having thestrongest signal (referred to as the “first lighting fixture”) islocated in the targeted room, the room controller may instruct thatlighting fixture to illuminate its lighting element. For the purposes ofthe present disclosure it will be appreciated that a “lighting element”may include a light source and a driver or a light source with anintegrated driver. An installer can then confirm that the first lightingfixture is in fact located in the targeted room, as described in greaterdetail below, this can be accomplished by any mechanism now known orhereafter developed including, using a smart device to transmit awireless communication signal to the room controller, via a button orkey press at the entry station, via a flashlight, etc.

In some embodiments, instructing a lighting fixture to illuminate itslighting element may include instructing the lighting fixture to cycleits lighting element through a series of on and off cycles to enable thesystem or user to distinguish between light coming from the lightingelement and light from other sources such as natural sun light.Alternatively, the lighting fixture can DIM UP and DIM DOWN its lightingelement.

Thereafter, the room controller can instruct each of the lightingfixtures, in sequence, to turn their lighting elements on and off. Theother lighting fixtures, by way of a light sensing element such as aphotocell, preferably located within the sensor and control module, canmonitor for an increase ambient light level detection. Thus, when eachof the lighting fixtures turns its lighting element on, the lightsensing element may sense a boost in ambient light level (assuming thelighting fixture/lighting element are in the targeted room). If anincrease in ambient light level is sensed by any other fixtures alreadydetermined to be in the room and part of the network when a particularlighting fixture turns its lighting element on, then the sensing fixturecan send an appropriate wireless message to the room controller, and thelighting fixture illuminating its lighting element may automatically bekept by the associated network coordinator in the group associated withthe targeted room. If no increase in ambient light level is detectedwhen a particular lighting fixture turns its lighting element on, thenno wireless message will be sent to the room controller and after apredetermined period of time or a timeout period, the lighting fixturemay be removed from the group. Alternatively, in some embodiments, if noincrease in ambient light level is detected when a particular lightingfixture turns its lighting element on, then at least one of the otherfixtures already determined to be in the room can send an appropriatewireless message to the room controller, and the lighting fixtureilluminating its lighting element may be removed from the group.Moreover, in an alternate preferred embodiment, if no increase inambient light level is detected when a particular lighting fixture turnsits lighting element on, the lighting fixture may be “flagged”. At theend of the commissioning process, every flagged fixture can beinstructed again to turn its lighting element on. If an increase inambient light level is sensed by any other fixtures already determinedto be in the room and part of the network when the flagged lightingfixture turns its lighting element on, then the sensing fixture can sendan appropriate wireless message to the room controller, and the flaggedlighting fixture may automatically be kept by the associated networkcoordinator in the group associated with the targeted room. If noincrease in ambient light level is detected when the flagged lightingfixture turns its lighting element on, then no wireless message will besent to the room controller and after a predetermined period of time ora timeout period, the lighting fixture may be removed from the group.The process of flagging a fixture prior to removing the fixture fromgroup may be repeated as often as desired.

This process may continue until all lighting fixtures on the ranked listhave been turned on and off individually. Those lighting fixtures deemedto be in the targeted room are grouped together for purposes ofoperational control. For example, a single wall switch, dimmer switch orother controller can operate all of the lighting fixtures in the grouptogether. Once a room group is established, zones can be formed based ona variety of parameters, such as the amount of ambient light detected.For example, devices close to a window may sense, via their associatedlight sensing elements, a higher light intensity compared to devicesmounted away from the window. The room controller can use thisinformation to group the “higher intensity” devices into one or morezones to which separate daylighting protocols can be applied.

Referring now to FIG. 1, an embodiment of the disclosed lighting controlsystem 1 preferably includes a lighting fixture 2 having a housing 3within which may be disposed a lighting element 4 and a sensor andcontrol module 6. The system 1 may also include a power pack 8 and aline powered entry station incorporating room controller functionality10. The sensor and control module 6 may include an occupancy sensingelement 12, a status indicator 13 such as a light emitting diode (LED),a light sensing element 14 such as a photocell, and a communicationsmodule 16, preferably a wireless communications module/chip. Thecommunications module 16 may include a fixture processor 18 and afixture transceiver 20. Though the fixture processor 18 and fixturetransceiver 20 are shown and described as separate elements, they may beintegrated, for example, onto a single mpu or chip. In alternateembodiments, a separate transceiver can be used in place of the fixturetransceiver 20. The power pack 8 may be coupled to the sensor andcontrol module 6 via one or more power and communications cables 22, 24so that the power pack 8 can supply power to the sensor and controlmodule 6 (via the power cable) and so that the sensor and control module6 can command operation of the power pack 8 (via the communicationscable). More preferably, the communication cable is a simple universalasynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART) connection for messagingbetween the sensor and control module 6 and the power pack 8. In theillustrated embodiment, the power pack 8 is disposed outside of thehousing 3 of the lighting fixture 2. It will be appreciated, however,that embodiments are contemplated in which the power pack 8 isintegrated into the housing 3. Alternatively, it will be appreciatedthat although the sensor and control module 6 is coupled to the lightingelement 4 via power pack 8, in various embodiments communicationsbetween the sensor and control module 6 and the lighting element 4 maybe direct, without the intervening power pack. For example, the sensorand control module may communicate directly with the lighting elementdriver or ballast. Alternatively, the sensor and control module maycommunicate directly with the lighting element. For example, thelighting element may be a COB and the sensor and control module maycommunicate directly with the COB via an applicable communicationprotocol (e.g., DMX). Communicating directly with the lighting elementor its associated driver or ballast eliminates the need for theintervening relay or power pack.

The power pack 8 may be coupled to the lighting fixture 2. In addition,the power pack 8 is preferably coupled to a source of power (e.g., linepower) 26 so that the lighting element 4 may be selectively illuminated.For example, the lighting element 4 may be selectively illuminated inresponse to an occupancy condition sensed by the occupancy sensingelement 12 or a command from the room controller 10. The power pack 8may provide relay switched power for turning the lighting fixture ON andOFF, along with 1-10 Vdc dimmer control for dimming the lights UP andDOWN.

The fixture transceiver 20 may be coupled to an antenna 21 and may useany of a variety of suitable wireless transmission technologiesincluding RF transmission using one of the many standards developed bythe Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), infraredtransmission using a standard from the Infrared Data Association (IrDA),or any other standardized and/or proprietary wireless communicationtechnology. A non-limiting exemplary listing of appropriate wirelesstransmission technologies include ZigBee, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 802.15.4,near field communication (NFC), Z-wave.

The fixture processor 18 may be communicatively coupled to each of theindividual components of the sensor and control module 6 to control oneor more operational aspects of the lighting control system 1. Forexample, the fixture processor 18 is preferably communicatively coupledto the occupancy sensing element 12, the status indicator 13 and thelight sensing element 14 so that the fixture processor 18 can receiveoccupancy detection and ambient light level information. The fixtureprocessor 18 also preferably receives and processes incoming wirelessmessages via the fixture transceiver 20 and commands the transmission ofoutgoing wireless messages via the fixture transceiver 20. In oneparticularly preferred embodiment, the fixture processor 18 isconfigured to: (i) receive occupancy and ambient light level informationfrom the occupancy sensing element 12 and light sensing element 14,respectively; (ii) manage the transmission of occupancy and ambientlight level information to the room controller 10; (iii) receivemessages from the room controller 10; and (iv) transmit operationalcommand signals to the power pack 8 to control the lighting element 4.In other embodiments, the fixture processor may send a wireless messageto a communicatively coupled entry station 10, room controller or otherwireless lighting fixture, based on an occupancy condition sensed by theoccupancy sensing element 12.

In one non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the communications module 16includes a ZigBee radio capable of ZigBee router functionality. Thecommunications module 16 may be configured to manage the occupancy andlight sensing elements 12, 14 and for transmitting sensor status to theroom controller 10 and for receiving commands from the room controller10. A non-limiting example of an appropriate communications module 16 isa Silicon Labs ZigBee system on a chip (SOC) EM3581-RT. The EM3581-RT isa fully integrated SOC that integrates a 2.4 GHz, IEEE802.15.4-2003-complaint transceiver, a microprocessor, flash and RAMmemory.

The occupancy sensing element 12 may employ any of a variety of sensingtechnologies, including passive infrared (PIR), ultrasound (U/S), audio,video, microwave, and the like (or a combination thereof). In onenon-limiting exemplary embodiment the occupancy sensing element 12 is adigital PIR sensor. The light sensing element 14 may, in onenon-limiting exemplary embodiment, be a 0-10V digital photosensor. Thelighting fixture 2 may be a troffer, a linear fixture, a pendant, arecessed fixture, a wall wash, or the like. The lighting element 4 maybe any known lighting element now known or hereafter developed,including for example, incandescent bulbs or the like. Preferably, thelighting element 4 is a light emitting diodes (LEDs).

FIG. 2A shows an exemplary line powered entry station incorporating roomcontrol functionality 10 positioned in a room 30 having a plurality oflighting fixtures 2 _(1−n) disposed therein. As will be described, theroom controller 10 may be used to discover, group and control one ormore of the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 _(1−n). That is, forexample, as described herein, the room controller is able to compile alist of nearby lighting fixtures via the network coordinator, is able togroup all of the lighting fixtures in a room and is able to receive allof the occupancy and ambient light level information from the lightingfixtures in its network and based on the received information, make andtransmit control information to each of the lighting fixtures. As shown,the room controller 10 may be mounted at or near an entrance 28 to theroom 30. In other embodiments, as previously mentioned, the roomcontroller may be located in a separate housing from the entry station.In these embodiments, the room controller 10 may be mounted in a ceilingstructure associated with the room, while the battery powered entrystation, if there is one, may be located anywhere in the room.

As shown in FIG. 2B, and as previously described, the line powered entrystation 10 having room controller functionality preferably includes afirst transceiver 32 having network coordinator functionality. In onenon-limiting exemplary embodiment, the first transceiver 32 may beconfigured and programmed to function as a ZigBee coordinator. In onenon-limiting exemplary embodiment, the first transceiver 32 comprises aZigBee radio capable of ZigBee coordinator functionality. A non-limitingexample of an appropriate first transceiver 32 is Silicon Labs' modelEM358x-RT.

In the illustrated embodiment and as previously mentioned herein, theline powered entry station 10 also functions as a room controller,though it will be appreciated that other embodiments can include aseparate room controller. It will be appreciated that although theprocessors are coupled to the AC source of line power 26, in practicalapplication AC power would not be applied directly to the low voltagecomponents of the entry station 10. Rather, and for example, at least anAC-DC converter would be coupled between the source of line power 26 andthe first and second processors 34, 40. The first transceiver 32 mayinclude a first processor 34, a first transceiver portion 36, and afirst antenna 46. The first transceiver portion 36 is preferablycommunicatively coupled to the first processor 34. Though the firsttransceiver portion 36 and first processor 34 are shown and described asseparate elements, they may be integrated, for example, on a singlechip. Non-volatile memory may be associated with the first processor 34.Although not shown, the entry station 10 may have a plurality of buttonswhich can be programmed to control the lights 2 _(1−n) in the room 30.

The first transceiver 32 may be programmed to manage the lightingfixtures 2 _(1−n) in the room 30 based on occupancy and light sensingelement 12, 14 status returned by each sensor and control module 6 andconfigurations derived via auto-commissioning and manual commissioning.In addition, the first transceiver 32 may be programmed to manage thelighting fixtures 2 _(1−n) in the room 30 based on inputs received atthe entry station 10, for example, by user initiated inputs.

The first transceiver 32 may function as a network coordinatorcomprising a node on a communications network that includes the entrystation 10, and, once grouped, the plurality of lighting fixtures 2_(1−n) located in a room 30. The first transceiver 32 may establish thelighting network, and may store information about the lighting network,including security keys, for the end nodes including the plurality oflighting fixtures 2 _(1−n). In one embodiment the formed communicationsnetwork is a personal area network (PAN). In another embodiment theformed communications network is a ZigBee PAN.

As described in greater detail herein, the first transceiver 32 maysupervise the formation of one or more lighting fixture groups that willbe part of a communications network to be controlled by the line poweredentry station 10 or a separate room controller (not shown). The firsttransceiver 32 may wirelessly communicate with a plurality of installedlighting fixtures 2 _(1−n) to determine which lighting fixtures arelocated within the room 30 served by the entry station 10 (or separateroom controller). Once the first transceiver 32 forms the lightingfixture group, the entry station 10 (or separate room controller) canthen be used to turn the light elements 4 of each lighting fixture 2 inthe group on and off in unison. Uniform dimming of the light elements 4can also be achieved via the room controller.

The line powered entry station 10 may include a second wirelesstransceiver 38, which in one non-limiting exemplary embodiment is aBluetooth transceiver, and more preferably BLE. The second transceivermay be used to communicate with a remote device such as a smartphone,smart tablet, laptop, or other computing device running a customapplication (“App”) which can facilitate commissioning, monitoring,remote control and application code updates. An example of anappropriate second transceiver 38 is a Texas Instruments BLE chip, suchas model TI CC2541 or CC2640. The second transceiver 38 may include asecond processor 40, and may have a second transceiver portion 42 with asecond antenna 44 that is separate from the first antenna 46 of thefirst transceiver 32. In other embodiments the first transceiver 32 andthe second transceiver 38 may share a single antenna. Though the secondtransceiver portion 42 and the second processor 40 are shown anddescribed as separate elements, they may be integrated, for example, ona single chip. Non-volatile (or other suitable) memory may be associatedwith the second processor.

The first and second processors 34, 40 may be coupled in a manner thatenables them to intercommunicate with each other. A wired communicationcoupling is shown, but this is not limiting. As will be appreciated,such intercommunication can allow information to be passed through thesystem 1 in an efficient manner. For example, a user may, with a remotedevice (e.g., smartphone, smart tablet, laptop, etc.) transmitconfiguration information/commands to the second transceiver 38 andsecond processor 40 via Bluetooth. The second processor 40 may pass thisinformation to the first processor 34, and the first transceiver 32 maycommunicate this information to the communications module 16 associatedwith one or more lighting fixtures 2 _(1−n). Information can be sentback to a user through the reverse path. For example, status informationregarding the occupancy and light sensing elements 12, 14 and/or thelighting elements 4 of the lighting fixtures 2 _(1−n) can be provided tothe first transceiver 32 and first processor 34 via the communicationsmodule 16. The first processor 34 may then pass the information to thesecond processor 40 for Bluetooth transmission to the remote device viathe second transceiver 38.

Although the illustrated embodiment shows a single network coordinator(i.e., first transceiver 32) associated with a single room 30, it willbe appreciated that one network coordinator may alternatively cover morethan one room. In such embodiments it is contemplated that each room 30would have a dedicated room controller, however, it will be appreciatedthat in some embodiments a room controller may also serve multiplerooms. In further embodiments a gateway device may interconnect multiplegroup networks via Ethernet or other communication link. The gatewaydevice may include ZigBee, Bluetooth or BLE protocols for communicatingwith such multiple group networks. In one non-limiting exemplaryembodiment a BLE mesh may be used for this purpose. The Ethernet orother linking connections may also be used for cloud storage.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary layout of lighting fixtures within a floor ofa building. In this non-limiting exemplary embodiment, a plurality ofrooms and/or hallways 30, 30A, 30B, 30C, 30D each include one or moreinstalled lighting fixtures 2 _(1−n), 2A_(1−n), 2B_(1−n), 2C_(1−n),2D_(1−n). With the exception of room 30A, each of the rooms 30, 30B,30C, 30D also has a designated entry station 10, 10B, 10C, 10D. Thelight 2A1 in room 30A may be discovered and controlled by an entrystation of an adjacent room. As can be seen, certain of the lightingfixtures 2 ₁, 2 ₃, 2 ₅, 2 ₉, 2 ₁₀ in one of the rooms 30 are locatednear a set of windows, while other of the lighting fixtures in the roomare located further away from the windows. As will be described ingreater detail later, the fixtures 2 ₁, 2 ₃, 2 ₅, 2 ₉, 2 ₁₀ may begrouped in a separate zone, and may have one or more daylightingalgorithms applied to the zone.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, an alternate embodiment of a lightingcontrol system 100 according to the present disclosure will now bedescribed. The lighting control system 100 is substantially similar tothe lighting control system 1 previously described except now,preferably, the network coordinator functionality and room controllerfunctionality have been incorporated into a light fixture. As shown, thelighting control system 100 may include a lighting fixture 102 with ahousing 103, and a sensor and control module 106. The sensor and controlmodule 106 includes a communications module 116, which includes firstand second network coordinator lighting fixture wireless transceivers132, 138 disposed therein. An entry station 110 is also provided. Theentry station may be wired or wireless. Preferably, the entry stationincludes a wireless chip for communicating with the network coordinator;more preferably, it includes a ZigBee chip for communicating with thenetwork coordinator. With the system 100 of this embodiment, the networkcoordinator functionality of the entry station 10 (FIG. 1) may beincorporated into one of the lighting fixtures 102 in a particular room.For ease of explanation the lighting fixture having this networkcoordinator functionality will be referred to as a “network coordinatorlighting fixture.” The system 100 according to this embodiment mayinclude the individual elements, features and functionalities of thelighting fixture 2 described in relation to FIG. 1, including a lightingelement 104, an occupancy sensing element 112, a status indicator 113such as a light emitting diode (LED), a light sensing element 114 and acommunications module 116, and a power pack 108. In the presentembodiment the entry station 110 may be provided with room controllerfunctionality and not network coordinator functionality, since thenetwork coordinator functionality is incorporated into the networkcoordinator lighting fixture 102. In other embodiments, room controllerfunctionality may be provided in the network coordinator lightingfixture 102.

The sensor and control module 106 of this embodiment may include anoccupancy sensing element 112 and a light sensing element 114. Powerpack 108 may be coupled to the sensor and control module 106 via powerand communications cables 122, 124 so that the power pack 108 can supplypower to the sensor and control module 106 (via the power cable) and sothat the sensor and control module 106 can command operation of thepower pack 108 (via the communications cable). Preferably, thecommunications cable is a UART connection for messaging between thesensor and control module 106 and the power pack 108. Alternatively, aspreviously described, the sensor and control module 106 may communicatedirectly with the lighting element, or its associated driver without anyintervening power pack 108.

The power pack 108 may be coupled to the lighting element 104. Inaddition, the power pack 108 is preferably coupled to a source of power(e.g., line power) 126 so that the lighting element 104 may beselectively illuminated. For example, the lighting element 104 may beselectively illuminated in response to an occupancy condition sensed bythe occupancy sensing element 112, a command from the entry station 110,or a command from a room controller if the room controller is providedas an element separate from the entry station. The power pack 108 mayprovide relay switched power for turning the lighting fixture ON andOFF, along with 1-10 Vdc dimmer control for dimming the lights UP andDOWN. Alternatively, as previously described, the sensor and controlmodule may be communicatively coupled to the lighting element directly,without the intervening power pack.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the sensor and control module 106 of thenetwork coordinator lighting fixture 102 will be described in greaterdetail. In this embodiment the communications module 116 of the sensorand control module 106 may include first and second network coordinatorlighting fixture wireless transceivers 132, 138. In some embodiments thefirst network coordinator lighting fixture transceiver 132 may havenetwork coordinator functionality. In one non-limiting exemplaryembodiment, the first network coordinator lighting fixture transceiver132 may be configured and programmed to function as a ZigBee networkcoordinator. In one non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the first networkcoordinator lighting fixture transceiver 132 includes a ZigBee radiocapable of ZigBee network coordinator functionality. A non-limitingexample of an appropriate third transceiver 132 is Silicon Labs' modelEM358x-RT.

The first network coordinator lighting fixture transceiver 132 mayinclude a first network coordinator lighting fixture transceiver portion136, a first network coordinator lighting fixture processor 134 and afirst network coordinator lighting fixture antenna 146. The transceiverportion 136 is preferably communicatively coupled to the processor 134.Although the transceiver portion 136 and the processor 134 are shown anddescribed as separate elements, they may be integrated, for example, ona single chip. Non-volatile memory may be associated with the processor134. The processor 134 may be programmed to manage the lighting fixtures2 _(1−n) in a room 30 (FIG. 2A) based on the status of the occupancy andlight sensing elements 112, 114.

The first network coordinator lighting fixture transceiver 132 mayfunction as a network coordinator comprising a node on a communicationsnetwork, and, once grouped, that includes the plurality of lightingfixtures 2 _(1−n) located in a room 30. The transceiver 132 mayestablish the network, and may store information about the network,including security keys, for the end nodes including the plurality oflighting fixtures 2 _(1−n). In one embodiment the formed communicationsnetwork is a personal area network (PAN). In another embodiment theformed communications network is a ZigBee PAN.

As will be described in greater detail herein, the first networkcoordinator lighting fixture transceiver 132 may supervise the formationof one or more lighting fixture groups that will be part of acommunications network to be controlled by the entry station 110 or aseparate room controller (not shown). The transceiver 132 may wirelessly communicate with a plurality of installed lighting fixtures 2 _(1−n)to determine which lighting fixtures are located within the room servedby the entry station 110 (or separate room controller). Once thetransceiver 132 forms the lighting fixture group, the entry station 110(or separate room controller) can then be used to turn the lightelements 104 of each lighting fixture 102 in the group on and off inunison. Uniform dimming of the lighting elements 104 can also beachieved via the room controller.

As mentioned, the sensor and control module 106 may include a secondnetwork coordinator lighting fixture transceiver 138, which in onenon-limiting exemplary embodiment is a Bluetooth transceiver. The secondnetwork coordinator lighting fixture transceiver 138 may be used tocommunicate with a remote device such as a smartphone, smart tablet,laptop, or other computing device running a custom application (“App”)which can facilitate commissioning, monitoring, remote control andapplication code updates. An example of an appropriate fourthtransceiver 138 is a Texas Instruments TI CC2541 or CC2640. The secondnetwork coordinator lighting fixture transceiver 138 may include asecond network coordinator lighting fixture processor 140 and mayinclude a second network coordinator lighting fixture transceiverportion 142 with a second network coordinator lighting fixture antenna144 that is separate from the antenna 146 of the first networkcoordinator lighting fixture transceiver 132. In other embodiments thefirst network coordinator lighting fixture transceiver 132 and thesecond network coordinator lighting fixture transceiver 138 may share asingle antenna. Though the second network coordinator lighting fixtureprocessor 140 and the second network coordinator lighting fixturetransceiver portion 142 are shown and described as separate elements,they may be integrated, for example, on a single chip. Non-volatilememory may be associated with the second network coordinator lightingfixture processor 140.

The first and second network coordinator lighting fixture processors134, 140 may be coupled in a manner that enables them tointercommunicate with each other. A wired communication coupling isshown, but is not limiting. As will be appreciated, suchintercommunication can allow information to be passed through the system100 in an efficient manner. For example, a user may, with a remotedevice (e.g., smartphone, smart tablet, laptop, etc.) provideconfiguration information/commands to the second network coordinatorlighting fixture transceiver 138 and second network coordinator lightingfixture processor 140 via Bluetooth. The second network coordinatorlighting fixture processor 140 may pass this information to the firstnetwork coordinator lighting fixture processor 134, and the firstnetwork coordinator lighting fixture transceiver 132 may communicatethis information to the communications module 116 associated with one ormore sensor modules 106 associated with others of the lighting fixtures2 _(1−n) in a particular room. Information can be sent back to a userthrough the reverse path in the manner previously described.

It will be appreciated that preferably only one of the lighting fixtures102 in a particular room may have network coordinator functionality. Theremaining lighting fixtures 2 installed in the room may be associatedwith “single-transceiver” sensor modules 6 as described in relation toFIG. 1.

In some embodiments, after the discovery and grouping process iscompleted, the lighting fixture having network coordinator functionalitymay cede control functionality to the room controller. Alternatively,control functionality may be maintained by the lighting fixture havingnetwork coordinator functionality.

The first and second network coordinator lighting fixture wirelesstransceivers 132, 138 may use any of a variety of suitable wirelesstransmission technologies including RF transmission using one of themany standards developed by the Institute of Electrical and ElectronicEngineers (IEEE), infrared transmission using a standard from theInfrared Data Association (IrDA), or any other standardized and/orproprietary wireless communication technology. A non-limiting exemplarylisting of appropriate wireless transmission technologies includeZigBee, Bluetooth, Z-wave, NFC and Wi-Fi, 802.15.4.

FIG. 6 is a logic diagram illustrating a first preferred embodiment of adisclosed method wherein the network coordinator is in the entrystation. At 1000, the network coordinator compiles a list of nearbynodes via, for example, a plurality of lighting fixtures 2 _(1−n)sending respective individual wireless messages or beacons to thenetwork coordinator (e.g., first transceiver 32 of entry station 10). Atleast a subset of the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 _(1−n) areinstalled in a targeted room 30 (the targeted room being the room orarea in which it is intended that a plurality of the lighting fixturesbe formed into a networked lighting group for unitary configuration andcontrol). In some embodiments the wireless messages may include a serialnumber or other identifier associated with each of the lighting fixtures2 _(1−n) sending the message.

In some embodiments, as previously described, the plurality of lightingfixtures 2 _(1−n) may send the respective individual wireless messagesupon being powered up or turned on, and may continue to send thewireless messages until they have been added to the lighting network. Inother embodiments, as will be described in greater detail below, theplurality of lighting fixtures 2 _(1−n) may send the respectiveindividual wireless messages upon triggering of the lighting fixture'soccupancy sensing element 14 (i.e., when the occupancy sensing elementsenses movement, which in one embodiment is the presence of a person inthe targeted room 30). For example, an installer may walk through thetargeted room 30 to cause the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 _(1−n) tosend the respective individual wireless messages. Using the occupancysensing element to trigger the sending of respective individual wirelessmessages may have an advantage in that it can reduce the total number oflighting fixtures allowed to initially join the network as compared toarrangements in which all lighting fixtures automatically send theirindividual wireless messages upon powering up or in response to awireless message received from the network coordinator. In the lattercases it may be expected that lighting fixtures in adjacent rooms and/orspaces would be allowed initially to join the network, and would thusrequire subsequent removal from the network using one or more of themethods disclosed herein. By using the occupancy sensing element totrigger the sending of wireless messages from a lighting fixture,lighting fixtures in adjacent rooms and/or spaces would not initiallyjoin the network, which would reduce the total number of lightingfixtures that would have to be removed later.

In still further embodiments, the network coordinator may transmit awireless activation message to a plurality of lighting fixtures 2 _(1−n)after being prompted by the installer. The wireless activation messagemay include a command to each of plurality of lighting fixtures 2 _(1−n)instructing them to send the respective individual wireless messages.The network coordinator may be prompted to send the wireless activationmessage via a button or key press at the entry station 10. For example,the installer may press and hold one or more buttons simultaneously onthe entry station, which, among other actions may cause the entrystation to transmit a wireless message to a plurality of lightingfixtures 2 _(1−n). In other embodiments the network coordinator may beprompted to send the wireless activation message by a remote devicecommunicating with a second transceiver 38 associated with of the entrystation. For example, the installer may prompt the entry station totransmit a wireless message to a plurality of lighting fixtures 2 _(1−n)via the APP on his/her smart device.

In some embodiments the status indicator 13 of each of the plurality oflighting fixtures 2 _(1−n) may light up or change brightness when thewireless messages are sent from each of the plurality of lightingfixtures. In other embodiments the status indicator may blink, dim orshine with greater intensity. This may enable an installer to confirmthat all of the lighting fixtures 2 _(1−n) in the targeted room 30 aresending wireless signals to the network coordinator.

At 1100 the network coordinator receives the wireless messages from theplurality of lighting fixtures 2 _(1−n) and may create an inventory oflighting fixtures 2 _(1−n.) The network coordinator may associate astrength of signal from each of the wireless messages with a serialnumber or other identifier associated with the lighting fixturetransmitting the wireless message. At 1200 the network coordinatorincludes all of the responding lighting fixtures in the networkedlighting group and stores a list of the responding lighting fixtures 2_(1−n) in memory. The responding light fixtures 2 _(1−n) may be rankedby determined signal strength. In some embodiments this list (includingranking) is stored in memory associated with the network coordinator. At1300 the network coordinator can transmit a wireless message instructingthe lighting fixture 2 _(x) with the highest determined signal strength(i.e., the “first lighting fixture”) to illuminate its lighting element4.

At 1400, the installer may determine whether the illuminated lightingelement 4 is in the targeted room 30 (e.g., by visual observation). Ifthe illuminated lighting element 4 is determined to be in the room, thenthe installer may confirm to the network coordinator that the firstlighting fixture 2 _(x) is present in the targeted room. Thisconfirmation can be provided by pressing a button, soft key or otherdata entry feature on the entry station 10. Alternatively, where aremote device is being used to commission the system, confirmation canbe provided by tapping a button on the app associated with the remotedevice. If, at 1400 the installer determines that the first light 2 _(x)is located within the targeted room, then at 1500A the networkcoordinator may keep the first light 2 _(x) in the networked lightinggroup. If, however, at 1400 the installer observes that the illuminatedlighting element 4 is not in the targeted room 30, then at 1500B theinstaller may communicate this information to the network coordinatorthrough inaction (e.g., no button press for a predetermined period oftime such as, but not limited to, 5 seconds). Alternatively, a separatebutton press, soft key press or data entry feature on the entry station10 or remote device may be employed to affirmatively indicate that thefirst lighting fixture 2 _(x) is not in the targeted room 30. Uponreceiving an indication that the first lighting fixture 2 _(x) is not inthe targeted room 30, at 1500B, the network coordinator may remove thefirst lighting fixture from the networked lighting group. The networkcoordinator can then instruct the first lighting fixture to turn itslighting element 4 off. The method may then return to step 1300 and thenetwork coordinator may transmit a wireless message instructing thelighting fixture with the next highest determined signal strength toilluminate its lighting element. Steps 1400, 1500A, and 1500B may thenbe repeated until one of the lighting fixtures 2 _(1−n) in the rankedlist is determined to be in the targeted room 30. The networkcoordinator may then keep the lighting fixture illuminating its lightingelement in the networked lighting group, identifying it as the “firstgrouped lighting fixture.”

If the first lighting fixture 2 _(x) is determined to be in the targetedroom 30, then at 1600 the network coordinator designates the firstlighting fixture 2 _(x) as the “first grouped lighting fixture” andtransmits a wireless message instructing the first grouped lightingfixture to turn off its lighting element 4.

When a first one of the lighting fixtures 2 _(x) is determined to be inthe targeted room 30, at 1600 the installer may activate an automatedgrouping process by inputting another button push, soft key press ordata entry feature on the entry station 10, or via the remote device.The automated grouping process may start with the network coordinatortransmitting a wireless message to the first grouped lighting fixture 2_(x) to turn off its light element 4, and may transmit a wirelessmessage to a “next lighting fixture” 2 _(x+1) in the ranked list (i.e.,the lighting fixture ranked next behind the “first grouped lightingfixture”), instructing it to illuminate its lighting element 4. At 1700the first grouped lighting fixture 2 _(x) may determine whether itslight sensing element 14 registers an increase in ambient light level inthe targeted room 30 when the next lighting fixture illuminates itslighting element 4. If an increase in ambient light level is sensed,then at 1800A the first grouped lighting fixture 2 _(x) may transmit awireless message to the network coordinator to confirm that the nextlighting fixture 2 _(x+1) i is in the targeted room 30. The networkcoordinator may keep the next lighting fixture 2 _(x+1) in the networkedlighting group and may send a wireless message to the lighting fixtureilluminating its lighting element instructing it to turn off its lightelement 4.

If, however, the light sensing element 14 of the first grouped lightingfixture 2 _(x) does not see an increase in light from its light sensingelement when the next lighting fixture illuminates its light element 4,then the first grouped lighting fixture may simply do nothing, andwithin a predetermined period of time (a non-limiting example of whichis 1-10 seconds) if the network coordinator does not receive a wirelessmessage from the first grouped lighting fixture the network coordinatormay assume that the next lighting fixture 2 _(x+1) is not the targetedroom 30. At 1800B the network coordinator may then remove the nextlighting fixture 2 _(x+1) from the networked group. In some embodiments,if the light sensing element 14 of the first grouped lighting fixturedoes not sense an increase in light when the next lighting fixtureilluminates its light element 4, then the first grouped lighting fixture2 _(x) may transmit a wireless message to the network coordinator toconfirm that the next lighting fixture 2 _(x+1) is not in the targetedroom 30. The network coordinator may then remove the next lightingfixture from the networked group.

Steps 1600-1800A, B can be repeated until all of the lighting fixtures 2_(1−n) in the targeted room 30 are identified and included in thenetworked lighting group, and the lighting fixtures that are not in thetargeted room are removed from the networked lighting group. A full listof lighting fixtures 2 _(1−n) in the targeted room 30 can then bemaintained by the network coordinator. To confirm this, the networkcoordinator may transmit a wireless message to all of the lightingfixtures in the group to illuminate their light elements in unison.Other features such as a fade up or down in light intensity can also beinstructed, with all lighting fixtures in the group responding togetherto fade up and/or down in unison.

In the embodiment described in relation to FIG. 6 the networkcoordinator alone makes the determination about whether a particularlighting fixture 2 _(x) is located within the targeted room based onwhether a light sensing element 14 of the first lighting fixture 21(which is known to be in the room) senses changes in ambient lightlevels when individual lighting fixtures are sequentially illuminated.In other embodiments, however, the light sensing elements 14 of multiplelighting fixtures 2 _(1−n) can be employed to determine if a particularlighting fixture 2 _(x) is located within the targeted room.

For example, once the network coordinator determines that a firstlighting fixture 2 ₁ and a second lighting fixture 2 ₂ are locatedwithin the targeted room, it may instruct those lighting fixtures toturn off their lighting elements 4. The network coordinator may theninstruct the lighting fixture 2 ₃ having the next highestacknowledgement signal ranking “the next lighting fixture” to illuminateits light element. If the light sensing elements 14 of either lightingfixture 2 ₁ or 2 ₂ senses an increase in ambient light level when thenext lighting fixture 2 ₃ illuminates its light element, then thenetwork coordinator can assume that the next lighting fixture 2 ₃ islocated within the targeted room and can keep the next lighting fixturein the group. The network coordinator may then instruct the nextlighting fixture 2 ₃ to turn off its lighting element 4.

This process can be repeated until all of the lighting fixtures 2 _(2−n)in the ranked list have been turned on and a determination made (basedon the existence of sensed changes in ambient light levels by the lightsensing elements of all of the previously-grouped lighting fixtures)about whether the lighting fixtures are in the targeted room.

It will be appreciated that the process can also be done manually, withthe network coordinator sequentially instructing each of the lightingfixtures 2 _(1−n) in the ranked list to turn their lighting elements 4on and the installer manually confirming, through button press, soft keypress or other data entry feature at the entry station 10 or via theremote device, whether the individual lighting fixtures 2 _(1−n) are inthe targeted room 30. The network coordinator can, based on theinstaller's inputs, compile a list of which lighting fixtures 2 _(1−n)to include in a particular group and which lighting fixtures will not bepart of that group.

FIG. 7 is a logic diagram illustrating a second preferred embodiment ofthe disclosed method wherein the network controller functionality islocated in one of the sensor and control modules of a fixture. As willbe understood, the method according to this embodiment may employ atleast one lighting fixture 102 that acts as a network coordinator in themanner described in relation to previous embodiment of the disclosedmethod. Thus, certain functionality of the room controller described inrelation to FIGS. 1-2B are incorporated into one of the lightingfixtures 102 _(1−n). In some embodiments this lighting fixture may bereferred to as the “network coordinator lighting fixture” 102 ₁. In someembodiments the network coordinator lighting fixture will be positionedwithin the room to be commissioned (i.e., a “targeted room.”) In onenon-limiting exemplary embodiment the network coordinator lightingfixture may include first and second network coordinator lightingfixture transceivers 132, 138. The network coordinator lighting fixturemay include ZigBee coordinator functionality, with a ZigBee transceiverconstituting the first network coordinator lighting fixture transceiver132. The network coordinator lighting fixture may also include aBluetooth transceiver as the second network coordinator lighting fixturetransceiver 138 to enable communication with a remote device such as asmart phone, smart tablet or the like.

The auto-commissioning process in connection with the second preferredembodiment is substantially similar to the auto-commissioning processdescribed above in connection with the first preferred embodiment,however since the network coordinator is now located within the lightingfixture, the process of determining the first lighting fixture in thetargeted room may not be necessary since it is known that the networkcoordinator lighting fixture is in the targeted room. As with the methoddescribed in relation to FIG. 6, the network coordinator compiles a listof nearby nodes via, for example, a plurality of lighting fixtures 102_(1−n) sending respective individual wireless messages or beacons to thenetwork coordinator (e.g., first transceiver 132 of the communicationsmodule 116) so that the network coordinator can discover the lightingfixtures and rank the signal strength of their messages. At least asubset of the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 _(1−n) are installed in atargeted room 30 (the targeted room being the room or area in which itis intended that a plurality of the lighting fixtures be formed into anetworked lighting group for unitary configuration and control). In someembodiments the wireless messages may include a serial number or otheridentifier associated with each of the lighting fixtures 2 _(1−n)sending the message.

Thus, in some embodiments, the plurality of lighting fixtures 102 _(1−n)may send their respective individual wireless messages upon beingpowered up or turned on, and may continue to send the wireless messagesuntil they have been added to the lighting network. In otherembodiments, as will be described in greater detail below, the pluralityof lighting fixtures 102 _(1−n) may send their respective individualwireless messages upon triggering of the lighting fixture's occupancysensing element 112 (i.e., when the occupancy sensing element sensesmovement, which is the presence of a person in the targeted room 30).For example, an installer may walk through the targeted room 30 to causethe plurality of lighting fixtures 102 _(1−n) to send its respectiveindividual wireless message. Using the occupancy sensing element totrigger the sending of respective individual wireless messages may havean advantage in that it can reduce the total number of lighting fixturesallowed to initially join the network as compared to arrangements inwhich all lighting fixtures automatically send their individual wirelessmessages upon powering up or in response to a wireless message receivedfrom the network coordinator. In the latter cases it may be expectedthat lighting fixtures in adjacent rooms and/or spaces would be allowedinitially to join the network, and would thus require subsequent removalfrom the network using one or more of the methods disclosed herein. Byusing the occupancy sensing element to trigger the sending of wirelessmessages from a lighting fixture, lighting fixtures in adjacent roomsand/or spaces would not initially join the network, which would reducethe total number of lighting fixtures that would have to be removedlater.

In some embodiments the status indicator 113 of each of the plurality oflighting fixtures 102 _(1−n) may light up or change brightness when thewireless messages are sent from each of the plurality of lightingfixtures. In other embodiments the status indicator may blink, dim orshine with greater intensity. This may enable the installer to confirmthat all of the lighting fixtures 102 _(1−n) in the targeted room 30 aresending wireless signals to the network coordinator.

As a further alternative, the network coordinator may transmit awireless activation message to a plurality of lighting fixtures 2 _(1−n)after being prompted by the installer. The wireless activation messagemay include a command to each of plurality of lighting fixtures 2 _(1−n)instructing them to send the respective individual wireless messages.The network coordinator may be prompted to send the wireless activationmessage via a remote device that may send a wireless message to thesecond network coordinator lighting fixture transceiver 138 of thenetwork coordinator lighting fixture 102 ₁, instructing the networkcoordinator lighting fixture to begin a discovery and grouping process.In one non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the remote device is asmartphone, tablet or laptop, the second network coordinator lightingfixture transceiver 138 is a Bluetooth transceiver and the wirelessmessage is a Bluetooth message. Thus, the second network coordinatorlighting fixture transceiver 138 may instruct the first networkcoordinator lighting fixture transceiver 132 to have the networkcoordinator (first network coordinator lighting fixture transceiver 132)begin the discovery and grouping process. For example, the installer mayprompt the network coordinator to transmit a wireless message to aplurality of lighting fixtures 2 _(1−n) via the APP on his/her smartdevice. In another embodiment, the network coordinator may be promptedto send the wireless activation message via a button or key press at theentry station 10.

Referring to FIG. 7, at step 2000, the network coordinator compiles alist of nearby nodes via any method herein described or known. Forexample, as previously described, the plurality of lighting fixtures 102_(1−n) can send respective individual wireless messages upon beingpowered up or turned on. In other embodiments, the plurality of lightingfixtures 102 _(1−n) may send the respective individual wireless messagesupon triggering of the lighting fixture's occupancy sensing element 112.In still further embodiments, the network coordinator may transmit awireless activation message to a plurality of lighting fixtures 102_(1−n) after being prompted by the installer. Alternatively, the networkcoordinator can transmit a wireless activation message to the pluralityof lighting fixtures 102 _(2−n). As will be appreciated, at least someof the plurality of lighting fixtures 102 _(2−n) will be located withinthe targeted room, while some of the plurality of lighting fixtures maybe located outside of the targeted room. At least some of the pluralityof lighting fixtures 102 _(2−n) will receive the wireless message and at2100 can respond by sending individual wireless acknowledgementmessages. In some embodiments the acknowledgement signal may include aserial number or other identifier associated with the lighting fixture102 _(2−n) sending the acknowledgement message. At 2200 the networkcoordinator in the network coordinator lighting fixture 102 ₁ mayreceive the acknowledgement signals and may associate a signal strengthof the acknowledgment message with the serial number or other identifierassociated with the lighting fixture sending the signal. At 2300 thenetwork coordinator may store a list of responding lighting fixtures 102_(2−n) ranked by determined signal strength, and may add the respondinglighting fixtures to a networked lighting group. In some embodimentsthis list is stored in memory associated with the network coordinator.At 2400 the network coordinator can transmit a wireless messageinstructing the lighting fixture 102 _(x) with the highest determinedsignal strength (i.e., the “lighting fixture with the highest remainingsignal strength”) to illuminate its light element 104.

At 2500 the network coordinator lighting fixture determines if thelighting fixture with the highest remaining signal strength 102 _(x) islocated within the targeted room 30. Thus, if the light sensing element114 of the network coordinator lighting fixture 102 ₁ senses an increasein light from its light sensing element when the lighting fixture withthe highest remaining signal strength 102 _(x) illuminates its lightelement, the network coordinator may at 2600A keep the lighting fixturewith the highest remaining signal strength in the group. If, however,the light sensing element 114 of the network coordinator lightingfixture 102 _(x) does not see an increase in light from its lightsensing element when the lighting fixture with the highest remainingsignal strength illuminates its light element 104, the networkcoordinator may at 2600B remove the lighting fixture with the highestremaining signal strength from the group. Alternatively, the networkcoordinator may “flag” the lighting fixture with the highest remainingsignal strength and retry to detect the flagged lighting fixture priorto removing the flagged lighting fixture from the group, as previouslydescribed above.

This process can be repeated until all of the lighting fixtures in thetargeted room are identified and included in the group. A full list oflighting fixtures in the targeted room is generated by the networkcoordinator. To confirm this, the network coordinator may transmit awireless message to all of the lighting fixtures 102 _(1−n) in the groupto illuminate their light elements 104 in unison. Other features such asa fade up or down in light intensity (or blinking) can also beinstructed, with all lighting fixtures in the group responding togetherto fade up and/or down in unison.

In the embodiment described in relation to FIG. 7 the networkcoordinator lighting fixture 102 ₁ (i.e., the network coordinator) alonemakes the determination about whether a particular lighting fixture 102_(x) is located within the targeted room based whether its light sensingelement 114 senses changes in ambient light levels when individuallighting fixtures are sequentially illuminated. In other embodiments,however, the light sensing elements 114 of multiple lighting fixtures102 _(1−n) can be employed to determine if a particular lighting fixture102 _(x) is located within the targeted room.

For example, once the network coordinator lighting fixture 102 ₁determines that the lighting fixture with the highest remaining signalstrength 102 ₂ is located within the targeted room, it may instruct thelighting fixture with the highest remaining signal strength to turn offits lighting element 104. The network coordinator lighting fixture 102 ₁may then instruct the lighting fixture having the next highestacknowledgement signal ranking “the next lighting fixture” to illuminateits light element. If the light sensing element 114 of either thenetwork coordinator lighting fixture 102 ₁ or the light sensing elementof the lighting fixture with the highest remaining signal strength 102 ₂sense an increase in ambient light level when the next lighting fixture102 _(x) illuminates its light element 104, the network coordinator canassume that the next lighting fixture 102 _(x) is located within thetargeted room and can keep the next lighting fixture in the group. Thisprocess can be repeated until all of the lighting fixtures 102 _(2−n) inthe ranked list have been turned on and a determination made (based onthe existence of sensed changes in ambient light levels by the lightsensing elements of all of the previously-grouped lighting fixtures)about whether the lighting fixtures are in the targeted room.

FIG. 8 is a logic diagram illustrating a third preferred embodiment ofthe disclosed method wherein manual initiation using a remote device isused. The methods described in relation to FIG. 6 describes a procedurefor determining the first lighting fixture. It will be appreciated thata manual procedure may also be used to initiate determination of thefirst lighting fixture. For example, in one embodiment the determinationof the first lighting fixture may be initiated by, at step 3000, placingthe network coordinator located in the entry station or networkcoordinator lighting fixture into a commissioning mode. This may beaccomplished by any of the numerous mechanisms herein described orknown. At step 3100, the installer may shine or pulse a light at thelight sensing element 114 of a lighting fixture 102 ₁. Next, at 3200,the lighting fixture 102 ₁ may transmit a wireless message to thenetwork coordinator informing the network coordinator that it is in thetargeted room and that it should be deemed the first lighting fixture102 ₁. At 3300, the network coordinator designates the lighting fixture102 ₁ as the first lighting fixture. At 3400, the auto-commissionprocess described above in connection with FIG. 6 is performed asdescribed.

In some embodiments the process for determining the first lightingfixture may be initiated (step 3000) by providing a coded set of lightpulses provided to the light sensing element of the lighting fixture 102₁. The coded set of light pulses may take on any form. For example, in apreferred embodiment, the coded set of light pulses may involve quicklyturning on and off the flashlight in a predetermined period of time. Inone non-limiting exemplary embodiment, a predetermined set of threelight flashes within five seconds may constitute the coded set of lightpulses. A light source such as a flashlight, a laser source, or othersource of visible light could be used for this purpose. Alternatively, alight source having a predetermined wavelength or range of wavelengthsthat are different from visible light (e.g., ultraviolet, infrared) maybe used to initiate the commissioning process provided only that thelight sensing elements of the lighting fixtures are able to recognizesuch non-visible light. Using a coded set of visible or non-visiblelight pulses to initiate the commissioning process may avoid inadvertentinitiating of the process for example by maintenance or other personnelshining a flashlight or other light source into the light sensingelement 114 of the lighting fixture 102 ₁ during routine inspection ofthe ceiling or room. Moreover, to avoid inadvertent initiating of theprocess, the system may also require one or more additional steps to betaken. For example, in addition to shining a light or a coded set oflight pulses, the lighting fixture may also be programmed to requiresimultaneous detection of motion using the occupancy sensing element toavoid inadvertent initiating of the process.

Alternatively, referring to FIG. 12, at 7000, the installer may placethe network coordinator (located in either the room controller 10 (FIGS.1, 2A and 2B) or in the coordinator lighting fixture 102 ₁ (FIGS. 4 and5)) into a commissioning mode. This may be accomplished by any processdescribed herein or known. For example, the installer may place thenetwork coordinator into commissioning mode by sending a wirelessmessage to the room controller via a remote device, via a button or keypress at the entry station, etc.

At 7100, the network coordinator allows nearby suitable nodes (e.g.,lighting fixtures) that are not currently joined to another networkcoordinator to join its network. This may be accomplished by any processdescribed herein or known. For example, as previously described, aplurality of lighting fixtures may send respective individual wirelessmessages or beacons to the network coordinator (e.g., first transceiverof entry station). Presumably, as previously described, at least asubset of the plurality of lighting fixtures may be installed in atargeted room (the targeted room being the room or area in which it isintended that a plurality of the lighting fixtures be formed into anetworked lighting group for unitary configuration and control). In someembodiments, the wireless messages may include a serial number or otheridentifier associated with each of the lighting fixtures sending themessage. In some embodiments, as previously described, the plurality oflighting fixtures may send the respective individual wireless messagesupon being powered up or turned on, and may continue to send thewireless messages until they have been added to the lighting network. Inother embodiments, as previously described herein, the plurality oflighting fixtures may send the respective individual wireless messagesupon triggering of the lighting fixture's occupancy sensing element(i.e., when the occupancy sensing element senses movement, which in oneembodiment is the presence of a person in the targeted room) or bydetecting a pulsing light level at the fixture's light sensing element.In still further embodiments, the network coordinator may transmit awireless activation message to a plurality of lighting fixtures afterbeing prompted by the installer. The wireless activation message mayinclude a command to each of plurality of lighting fixtures instructingthem to send the respective individual wireless messages. As previouslydescribed, the network coordinator may be prompted to send the wirelessactivation message via a button or key press at the entry station, orvia a remote device communicating, for example, with a secondtransceiver associated with of the entry station. In some embodiments, astatus indicator associated with each of the plurality of lightingfixtures may light up or change brightness when the wireless messagesare sent from each of the plurality of lighting fixtures. In otherembodiments the status indicator may blink, dim or shine with greaterintensity. This may enable an installer to confirm that all of thelighting fixtures in the targeted room are sending wireless signals tothe network coordinator. As such, all nearby suitable nodes (e.g.,lighting fixtures) that are not a member of a room, join the network ofthe room controller.

The network coordinator receives the wireless messages from theplurality of lighting fixtures and creates an inventory of lightingfixtures. The network coordinator may include all of the respondinglighting fixtures and stores a list of the responding lighting fixturesin memory.

At 7200, with the network coordinator in commissioning mode, a lightingfixture may be selected to be the “first lighting fixture” of thenetworked lighting group in the targeted room. This may be accomplishedby any process described herein or known. For example, as described inconnection with FIG. 8, the installer may shine a flashlight, apredetermined coded set of pulses, a unique lighting pattern of, forexample, fade UP and fade DOWN, etc. at the light sensing element of oneof the lighting fixtures located in the targeted room. Alternatively, aspreviously described, the “first lighting fixture” may be identified bysignal strength, and confirmed by visual indication, etc. In response,at 7300, the processor associated with the targeted lighting fixture mayinstruct its transceiver to send a wireless message to the networkcoordinator requesting that the lighting fixture be deemed the firstlighting fixture of the networked lighting group. For example, theprocessor associated with the targeted lighting fixture may determinethat the light sensing element has received the predetermined lightpulse, and in turn, may instruct its transceiver to send a wirelessmessage to the network coordinator requesting that the lighting fixturebe deemed the first lighting fixture of the networked lighting group. At7400, the network coordinator may receive the wireless message andinstructs the first lighting fixture to turn its lighting element ON andOFF repeatedly.

At 7500, if additional lighting fixtures detect, via their light sensingelement, the flashing light from the first lighting fixture turning itslighting element ON and OFF, or detects an increase in ambient lightlevel from the first lighting fixture illuminating its lighting element,then the additional lighting fixtures may transmit a wireless message tothe network coordinator requesting to join the networked lighting group.Presumably, if the additional lighting fixtures detect the firstlighting fixture turning its lighting element ON and OFF, or an increasein detected light level from the illumination of the lighting element ofthe first lighting fixture, then the additional lighting fixtures arepresumed to be located in the targeted room. These additional lightingfixtures, in return, may transmit a wireless message to the networkcoordinator requesting that the additional lighting fixtures be includedinto the networked lighting group.

In addition, optionally, at 7600 the network coordinator may receive thewireless message from the additional lighting fixtures and instruct theadditional lighting fixtures to turn its lighting element ON and OFFrepeatedly. At 7700, if any additional lighting fixtures detect, viatheir light sensing element, the flashing light from the additionallighting fixtures turning their lighting elements ON and OFF, or detectan increase in ambient light level from the additional lighting fixturesilluminating their lighting elements, then the additional lightingfixtures may transmit a wireless message to the network coordinatorrequesting that these additional lighting fixtures be included into thenetworked lighting group. This process may be repeated as often asrequired until all of the lighting fixtures in the room have beenincluded into the networked lighting group. For example, this processmay be repeated for a predetermined period of time, or until terminatedautomatically after a period of time or manually by the installer.

A full list of lighting fixtures in the targeted room can then bemaintained by the network coordinator. To confirm this, the networkcoordinator may transmit a wireless message to all of the lightingfixtures in the networked lighting group to illuminate their lightelements in unison. Alternatively, the network coordinator may instructall of the lighting fixtures in the networked lighting group to flashtheir lighting elements sequentially. Other features such as a fade upor down in light intensity can also be instructed, with all lightingfixtures in the networked lighting group responding to fade up and/ordown. Thereafter, as necessary, the installer can add additionallighting fixtures located in the targeted room or remove one or morelighting fixtures as necessary. This may be accomplished by any processdescribed herein or known.

At 7800, the network coordinator may be taken out of commissioning modeby any method described herein. For example, the installer may press abutton on the entry station, send a command from the remote device, orexpiration of a timeout period informs the network coordinator to stopthe commissioning process. Finally, at 7900, the network coordinatorwill then send a message to all fixtures that are part of its networkbut not part of the networked lighting group to leave its network.

Thus, for example, in one example embodiment, the network coordinatormay compile a list of all nearby lighting fixtures. Each lightingfixture may be pre-programmed to detect, for example, a flashing light,a coded set of light pulses, etc. Next, the installer places the networkcoordinator into commissioning mode and selects the first lightingfixture in the room via any method disclosed herein. Thereafter, thefirst lighting fixture may begin to, for example, turn ON and OFF itslighting element in a flashing manner. Each lighting fixture detectingthe flashing light via its associated light sensing element, would thensend a wireless message to the network coordinator requesting that it bepermitted to join the networked lighting group. In addition, eachlighting fixture detecting the flashing light may also begin turning ONand OFF its lighting element in a flashing manner. Each additionallighting fixture detecting the flashing light via its associated lightsensing element, would then send a wireless message to the networkcoordinator requesting that it be permitted to join the networkedlighting group and each additional lighting fixture detecting theflashing light may also begin turning ON and OFF its lighting element ina flashing manner. This process may be repeated as necessary, until alllighting fixtures in the room have joined the networked lighting group.The network coordinator receiving all of the wireless messages from theplurality of lighting fixtures creates and maintains an inventory oflighting fixtures in the networked lighting group. Thereafter, thenetwork coordinator is capable of controlling all of the lightingfixtures in the networked lighting group. In this way, small to mediumsized rooms could be commissioned in a faster and more-efficient manner.

As another alternate embodiment, referring to FIG. 13, at 8000, theinstaller may place the network coordinator (located in either the roomcontroller 10 (FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B) or in the coordinator lightingfixture 102 ₁ (FIGS. 4 and 5)) into a commissioning mode. This may beaccomplished by any process described herein or known. For example, theinstaller may place the network coordinator into commissioning mode bysending a wireless message to the room controller via a remote device,via a button or key press at the entry station, etc.

At 8100, the network coordinator allows nearby suitable nodes (e.g.,lighting fixtures) that are not currently joined to another networkcoordinator to join, if selected at 8200, 8400, or 8600 (as will bedescribed below). That is, the network controller is actively listeningfor any suitable wireless messages. In this embodiment, any node joiningthe network coordinator's network are considered to be part of thenetworked lighting group for unitary configuration and control. At 8200,the first lighting fixture is manually selected to join the networkcoordinator's network. Manually selection of the first lighting fixturemay be accomplished by any method known or described herein. Forexample, the first lighting fixture may be selected by modulating alight level that is detected by the light sensing element of the desirednode. That is, as previously described, the installer may shine aflashlight, a predetermined coded set of pulses, a unique lightingpattern of, for example, fade UP and fade DOWN, etc. at the lightsensing element of one of the lighting fixtures located in the targetedroom. Alternatively, the installer could push a button on the fixture,or trigger the lighting fixture's occupancy sensor, etc. In response,the processor associated with the manually selected or first lightingfixture may instruct its transceiver to send a wireless message to thenetwork coordinator requesting that the lighting fixture join thenetwork coordinator's network. For example, the processor may determinethat the light sensing element has received the predetermined lightpulse, and in turn, may instruct its transceiver to send a wirelessmessage to the network coordinator requesting that the lighting fixturejoin the network coordinator's network.

At 8300, upon joining the network coordinator's network, the manuallyselected or first lighting fixture may, for example, brighten and dim orturn ON and OFF its lighting element repeatedly in a predeterminedpattern, as previously described. This may be initiated within thefixture node upon joining the network coordinator's network or may beinitiated by the network coordinator sending a message to the selectedor targeted lighting fixture.

At 8400, if additional lighting fixtures detect, via their light sensingelement, the predetermined pattern of light level changes from the firstlighting fixture, then the additional lighting fixtures may transmit awireless message to the network coordinator requesting to join thenetwork coordinator's network, as previously described.

At 8500, upon joining the network coordinator's network, the additionallighting fixtures may also begin to brighten and dim or turn ON and OFFits lighting element repeatedly in a predetermined pattern as previouslydescribed. This may be initiated within the fixture upon joining thenetwork coordinator's network or may be initiated by the networkcoordinator sending a message to the additional lighting fixture. Whenmore than one lighting fixture has joined the network coordinator'snetwork, the fixtures may operate their lighting elements in apredetermined pattern in unison or sequentially by each fixture.

Presumably, if additional lighting fixtures detect the predeterminedpattern of light level changes from nearby lighting fixtures withinvisible range, then the additional lighting fixtures are presumed to belocated in the targeted room. Therefore, at 8600, if any additionallighting fixtures detect, via their light sensing element, thepredetermined pattern of light level changes from nearby lightingfixtures, then the additional lighting fixtures may transmit a wirelessmessage to the network coordinator requesting that these additionallighting fixtures join the network coordinator's network. This processmay be repeated as often as required until all of the lighting fixturesin the room have been included into the network coordinator's network.For example, this process is repeated until no further lighting fixturesdetect the light level changes and join the network coordinator'snetwork or until terminated automatically after a period of time ormanually by the installer.

As previously mentioned, in this embodiment all nodes that have joinedthe network coordinator's network are considered part of the networkedlighting group. A full list of lighting fixtures in the targeted roomcan then be maintained by the network coordinator. To confirm this, thenetwork coordinator may transmit a wireless message to all of thelighting fixtures in the networked lighting group to illuminate theirlight elements in unison. Alternatively, the network coordinator mayinstruct all of the lighting fixtures in the networked lighting group toflash their lighting elements sequentially. Other features such as afade up or down in light intensity can also be instructed, with alllighting fixtures in the networked lighting group responding to fade upor down. Thereafter, as necessary, the installer can add additionallighting fixtures located in the targeted room or remove one or morelighting fixtures as necessary. This may be accomplished by any processdescribed herein or known. Finally, at 8700, the network coordinator maybe taken out of commissioning mode by any method described herein. Thenetwork coordinator will stop accepting nodes to join its network andsend a message to all fixtures that are part of its network to stopchanging light levels in a predetermined pattern and resume normaloperation as part of the network coordinator's networked lighting group.

As a further alternative embodiment to the previously describedautomated commissioning process, as described in FIG. 9, a fourthpreferred embodiment of the method for grouping lighting fixtures isdisclosed. In this method, an installer preferably places the networkcoordinator (located in either the room controller 10 (FIGS. 1, 2A and2B) or in the coordinator lighting fixture 102 ₁ (FIGS. 4 and 5)) intocommissioning mode. This may be accomplished by any process describedherein or known. For example, the installer may place the networkcoordinator into commissioning mode by sending a wireless message to theroom controller via a remote device, via a button or key press at theentry station, etc. With the network coordinator in commissioning mode,the installer can walk through the targeted room, fixture by fixture,and simply provide a light flash to the light sensing element 14 of eachlighting fixture 2 _(1−n) located in the targeted room. As mentioned,such a light “flash” can comprise a single light flash or apredetermined coded set of light pulses and/or may comprise light in thenon-visible spectrum. Each “flashed” lighting fixture may then send amessage to the network coordinator in the room controller 10 or thenetwork coordinator lighting fixture 102 ₁ informing the networkcoordinator that the flashed light should be added to the group oflighting fixtures in the targeted room.

Thus, at 4000 the room controller or coordinator lighting fixture may beset into a commissioning mode. This may be accomplished by any mechanismherein described or known. For example, the installer my place the roomcontroller 10 into commissioning mode by sending a wireless message tothe room controller via a remote device, via a button or key press atthe entry station, etc. At 4100, a predetermined light pulse may beapplied to the light sensing element of a lighting fixture locatedwithin a targeted room. At 4200, the processor associated with thelighting fixture may determine that the light sensing element hasreceived the predetermined light pulse, and in turn, may instruct itstransceiver to send a wireless message to the network coordinatorrequesting that the lighting fixture be added to the networked lightinggroup. At 4300, the network coordinator may receive the wireless messageand may add the lighting fixture to the networked lighting group. Ifadditional lighting fixtures in the targeted room are to be added to thenetworked lighting group, then steps 4100-4300 can be repeated until alldesired lighting fixtures in the targeted room have been added to thenetworked lighting group. Once all desired lighting fixtures have beenadded to the networked lighting group, at 4400 the room controller orcoordinator lighting fixture may be taken out of the commissioning mode.This may be accomplished by any process described herein or known. Forexample, if the network coordinator does not receive a wireless messagefor a predetermined period of time or a timeout period, the networkcoordinator may be taken out of the commissioning mode. Alternatively,the network coordinator can be taken out of commissioning mode by, forexample, by sending a wireless message to the network coordinator via aremote device, via a button or key press at the entry station, etc.

Further, it is contemplated that once a networked lighting group isformed (and the room controller instructs the lighting fixtures in thegroup to TURN ON, TURN OFF, DIM UP, or DIM DOWN the lights as a group)that one or more lighting fixtures in the targeted room may not havebeen added to the group or one or more lighting fixtures not in thetargeted room may have been included in the group. That is, theself-commissioning processes described herein, may accidentally includea lighting fixture that is not located in the targeted room or mayaccidentally omit a lighting fixture that is in the targeted room. Tothis end, in combination with any of the methods described herein, atthe end of the self-commissioning process, an installer may notice thata lighting fixture in the targeted room has not been included in thegroup of lighting fixtures. As such, the installer may place the networkcoordinator into the commission mode and then walk through the targetedroom and provide a light flash sequentially to each of the light sensingelements of the lighting fixtures located in the targeted room that wasinadvertently omitted from the networked lighting group for one reasonor another. Each “flashed” lighting fixture may then send a message tothe network coordinator associated with the room controller 10 or thenetwork coordinator lighting fixture 102 ₁ informing the networkcoordinator that the flashed light should be added to the networkedlighting group. Similarly, for any fixtures that were inadvertentlyincluded in the group of lighting fixtures, for example, for any fixturethat is not located in the targeted room but for one reason or anotherwas grouped by the self-commissioning process, the installer can providea light flash sequentially to each of the light sensing elements of thelighting fixtures located outside of the targeted room that wasinadvertently included in the networked lighting group to send a messageto the room controller 10 or the network coordinator lighting fixture102 ₁ informing the network coordinator that the flashed light should beremoved from the group of lighting fixtures in the targeted room. Theprocess of adding or removing fixtures can be distinguished by any meansknown. For example, when placing the network coordinator intocommissioning mode, the installer can instruct the network coordinatorthat the following fixture should be added to the network by pressing orsending one message while instructing the network coordinator to removefixtures by pressing or sending a second wireless message on, forexample, the remote device. Alternatively, different coded sets of lightpulses can be used to add or remove a fixture from the network, etc.

FIG. 10 is a logic diagram illustrating a fifth preferred embodiment ofthe disclosed method incorporating daylight calibration. In someembodiments, once a room “group” is established using one of thepreviously described method, one or more zones within the group can beformed based on the amount of ambient light detected. As will beappreciated, the lighting fixtures in these additionally formed zonesmay be controlled differently from the lighting fixtures outside ofthese zones. An example of one such zone is a “daylighting” zone, whichrefers to a zone of lighting fixtures that may be located near a window,skylight or other source of natural light. In such daylighting zonesthere may be less need for artificial light (light from the lightingfixtures in the zone) to maintain the ambient light level in the zone ata predetermined minimum value. With prior systems such lighting fixtureswould have to be added to the zone by an installer using a configurationprogrammer. The installer would walk through the room and manuallyselect the lighting fixtures desired to be included in the daylightingzone.

The present method describes a process for automatically forming such adaylighting zone (or zones) using the light sensing elements associatedwith each of the lighting fixtures in the group. Once the lightingfixtures located in the targeted room are established as being part ofthe group, at step 5000 the network coordinator may be commanded totransmit a wireless message (via a user pressing a button, soft keyinput or other wired or wireless data entry feature, or via a remotedevice) instructing all of the lighting fixtures in the group to turntheir lighting elements off. At step 5100, the lighting fixtures may, inresponse, also each send a wireless response message to the networkcoordinator including information about what level of ambient light iscurrently being sensed by the lighting fixture's light sensing element.The wireless response message may also include identifying informationabout the lighting fixture sending the message, such as a serial numberor other identification number. At step 5200 the network coordinator mayuse the information in the response messages to determine which of thelighting fixtures in the group are positioned near a window or skylight.In one embodiment, if the response message includes informationindicating the light sensing element of a particular lighting fixturehas sensed an ambient light level above a predetermined level, thatlighting fixture may be assumed to be near a window or skylight and thusthe lighting fixture can be placed in a “daylighting zone.” At step5300, the network coordinator may group the lighting fixtures whoselight sensing elements are deemed to have sensed an ambient light levelabove the predetermined level into a daylighting zone. At 5400 anauto-calibration routine may then be applied to the lighting fixtures inthe daylighting zone. An example of one appropriate auto-calibrationroutine is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,608,807 to Hick et al., andassigned to Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc., the entire disclosure ofwhich is incorporated herein in its entirety.

Generally speaking, U.S. Pat. No. 7,608,807, describes a procedure wherethe lighting fixtures in a daylight zone are turned on for a definedperiod of time, for example, 24 hours. During this time, preferably theuser will be prohibited from turning the lighting fixtures off. Forexample, the entry station will be incapable of turning off the lightingfixtures. Preferably, during this time, the status indicator ispreferably on to alert users that the system is in a daylightingdetermination period.

During this time, the lighting fixtures may transmit their ambient lightlevels to the network coordinator. The network coordinator preferablykeeps track of the lowest ambient light level measured during thepredefined period of time. At the end of the predefined period of time,the lowest level from each of the lighting fixtures is saved by thenetwork coordinator. The lowest level measured presumably occurs duringthe night when the only light measured by the light sensing element isthat from the lighting fixtures (e.g., at nighttime, it is presumed thatthere will be no natural light entering thru the windows). The lowestlevel measured may be set as the target level for daylighting. Note thatthe level for each lighting fixture within a daylighting zone may beslightly different. As such, the network coordinator may average thelowest measured light levels in a daylighting zone to establish anaveraged target value for the daylight zone. After the expiration of thepredefined period of time, the network coordinator may exit the autocommissioning mode and begin normal operation.

In an alternate embodiment, rather than turning all of the lightingfixtures in a daylight zone to full on for a predefined period of time,the lighting fixtures may be permitted to operate normally. In thisembodiment, the installer/user may enter a specific, preferred time ofday, for example, at an APP running on a remote device. The time of daymay be transmitted to the network coordinator and saved in memory. Whenthe time of time occurs, regardless of the state of the lightingfixtures, the network coordinator may transmit a wireless messageinstructing all of the lighting fixtures in a daylight zone to turn onfor a predefined, brief period of time, for example, 5 to 10, seconds.During this predefined period of time, the light sensing element mayread the ambient light levels. As with the approach previouslydescribed, the measured ambient light levels from each lighting fixturemay be transmitted to the network coordinator and stored. In addition,the network coordinator may average the measured ambient light levelsfrom each lighting fixture in a daylight zone and establish an averagedtarget value for the daylight zone.

Additionally, and as a further alternative, as described in connectionwith FIGS. 8 and 9 above, a light flash can be provided to the lightsensing element(s) of one or more of the lighting fixtures to start theauto-calibration process of a daylighting routine for the lightingfixtures in the targeted room. Alternatively, and as a furtheralternative, a light flash can be provided to the light sensing elementof one or more lighting fixtures to create or place/remove a fixturefrom a zone.

FIG. 11 is a logic diagram illustrating a sixth preferred embodiment offorming a group of network lighting fixtures. As previously described,the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 _(1−n) may send the respectiveindividual wireless messages upon triggering of the lighting fixture'soccupancy sensing element 14 (i.e., when the occupancy sensing elementsenses movement, which in one embodiment is the presence of a person inthe targeted room 30). For example, an installer may walk through thetargeted room 30 to cause the plurality of lighting fixtures 2 _(1−n) tosend the respective individual wireless messages. Using the occupancysensing element to trigger the sending of respective individual wirelessmessages may have an advantage in that it can reduce the total number oflighting fixtures allowed to initially join the network as compared toarrangements in which all lighting fixtures automatically send theirindividual wireless messages upon powering up or in response to awireless message received from the network coordinator. In the lattercases it may be expected that lighting fixtures in adjacent rooms and/orspaces would be allowed initially to join the network, and would thusrequire subsequent removal from the network using one or more of themethods disclosed herein. By using the occupancy sensing element totrigger the sending of wireless messages from a lighting fixture,lighting fixtures in adjacent rooms and/or spaces would not initiallyjoin the network, which would reduce the total number of lightingfixtures that would have to be removed later.

More specifically, at 6000, an installer preferably places the networkcoordinator (located in either the room controller 10 (FIGS. 1, 2A and2B) or in the coordinator lighting fixture 102 ₁ (FIGS. 4 and 5)) intocommissioning mode. This may be accomplished by any process describedherein or known. For example, the installer my place the room controllerinto commissioning mode by sending a wireless message to the roomcontroller via a remote device, via a button or key press at the entrystation, etc. At 6100, with the network coordinator in commissioningmode, the installer can walk through the targeted room. The processorassociated with each lighting fixture may determine that occupancy hasbeen detected, and in turn, at 6200, each lighting fixture detectingoccupancy may send a message to the network coordinator in the roomcontroller 10 or the network coordinator lighting fixture 102 ₁informing the network coordinator that the lighting fixture should beadded to the group of lighting fixtures in the targeted room. At 6300,the network coordinator may receive the wireless message and may add thelighting fixture to the networked lighting group. Once all desiredlighting fixtures have been added to the networked lighting group, at6400 the room controller or coordinator lighting fixture may be takenout of the commissioning mode. This may be accomplished by any processdescribed herein or known. For example, if the network coordinator doesnot receive a wireless message for a predetermined period of time or atimeout period, the network coordinator may be taken out of thecommissioning mode. Alternatively, the network coordinator can be takenout of commissioning mode by, for example, by sending a wireless messageto the network coordinator via a remote device, via a button or keypress at the entry station, etc.

Further, it is contemplated that once a networked lighting group isformed (and the room controller instructs the lighting fixtures in thegroup to TURN ON, TURN OFF, DIM UP, or DIM DOWN the lights as a group)that one or more lighting fixtures in the targeted room may not havebeen added to the group or one or more lighting fixtures not in thetargeted room may have been included in the group. That is, theself-commissioning processes described herein, may accidentally includea lighting fixture that is not located in the targeted room or mayaccidentally omit a lighting fixture that is in the targeted room. Tothis end, in combination with any of the methods described herein, atthe end of the self-commissioning process, an installer may notice thata lighting fixture in the targeted room has not been included in thegroup of lighting fixtures. As such, the installer may place the networkcoordinator into the commission mode and then walk through the targetedroom again targeting each of the occupancy sensing elements of thelighting fixtures located in the targeted room that was inadvertentlyomitted from the networked lighting group for one reason or another.Each lighting fixture may then send a message to the network coordinatorassociated with the room controller 10 or the network coordinatorlighting fixture 102 ₁ informing the network coordinator that the lightfixture should be added to the networked lighting group. The process ofadding or removing fixtures can be distinguished by any means known. Forexample, when placing the network coordinator into commissioning mode,the installer can instruct the network coordinator that the followingfixture should be added to the network by pressing or sending onemessage while instructing the network coordinator to remove fixtures bypressing or sending a second wireless message on, for example, theremote device.

It will be appreciated that the disclosed methods can includecombinations of the previously-described techniques for forming one ormore networked lighting groups comprising a plurality of lightingfixtures. For example, in some embodiments one or more lighting fixturesmay be prompted to send a wireless message to a network coordinatorbased on more than one criteria being satisfied. In one embodiment acombination of light flashes (to be sensed by a lighting fixture's lightsensing element) and movement (to be sensed by the lighting fixture'soccupancy sensing element) may be required in order for a lightingfixture to send a wireless message to the network coordinator requestingto be added to a networked lighting group. Other combinations will beunderstood by one of ordinary skill in the art and are contemplated bythe disclosure. It will be appreciated that such combination criteriamay minimize the total number of lighting fixtures asking to initiallyjoin the networked lighting group so that fewer lighting fixtureslocated outside a targeted room will initially be joined to the group.

Some embodiments may be implemented, for example, using a storagemedium, a computer-readable medium or an article of manufacture whichmay store an instruction or a set of instructions that, if executed by amachine (i.e., processor or microcontroller), may cause the machine toperform a method and/or operations in accordance with embodiments of thedisclosure. By way of example, such a machine may include, but notlimited to, any suitable processing platform, computing platform,computing, processing, computing system, processing system, computer,processor, or the like, and may be implemented using any suitablecombination of hardware and/or software. The computer-readable medium orarticle may include, but not limited to, any suitable type of memoryunit, memory , memory article, memory medium, storage, storage article,storage medium and/or storage unit, for example, memory (including, butnot limited to, non-transitory memory), removable or non-removablemedia, erasable or non-erasable media, writeable or re-writeable media,digital or analog media, hard disk, floppy disk, Compact Disk Read OnlyMemory (CD-ROM), Compact Disk Recordable (CD-R), Compact DiskRewriteable (CD-RW), optical disk, magnetic media, magneto-opticalmedia, removable memory cards or disks, various types of DigitalVersatile Disk (DVD), a tape, a cassette, or the like. The instructionsmay include any suitable type of code, such as source code, compiledcode, interpreted code, executable code, static code, dynamic code,encrypted code, and the like, implemented using any suitable high-level,low-level, object-oriented, visual, compiled and/or interpretedprogramming language.

While certain embodiments of the disclosure have been described herein,it is not intended that the disclosure be limited thereto, as it isintended that the disclosure be as broad in scope as the art will allowand that the specification be read likewise. Therefore, the abovedescription should not be construed as limiting, but merely asexemplifications of particular embodiments. Those skilled in the artwill envision additional modifications, features, and advantages withinthe scope and spirit of the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for commissioning a network of lightingfixtures, comprising: a plurality of lighting fixtures, each of theplurality of lighting fixtures including: a lighting element; anidentifier unique to each of said plurality of lighting fixtures; asensor module including a light sensing element; and a networkcoordinator configured to discover, group and control a portion of theplurality of lighting fixtures by communicating with each of theplurality of lighting fixtures; wherein the network coordinator includesa processor programmed to: receive, via a communication module,respective messages sent from each of the plurality of lightingfixtures, each of the respective messages including the identifierassociated with the respective lighting fixture; determine a respectivesignal strength associated with each of said respective messages; andrank each of the plurality of lighting fixtures according to thedetermined signal strength.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein each ofsaid plurality of lighting fixtures includes a first communicationmodule for transmitting and receiving messages with said communicationmodule located within said network coordinator.
 3. The system of claim2, wherein each of said first communication module of said lightingfixture is a first transceiver and said communication module of saidnetwork coordinator is a second transceiver.
 4. The system of claim 3,wherein each of said first transceivers of said lighting fixture is awireless transceiver and said second transceiver of said networkcoordinator is a wireless transceiver.
 5. The system of claim 4, furthercomprising a third transceiver associated with the network coordinator,the third transceiver for receiving wireless messages from a remotedevice for controlling an operational function of the networkcoordinator.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor of saidnetwork coordinator is programmed to add each of the plurality oflighting fixtures, from which a respective message is received, to anetworked lighting group.
 7. The system of claim 6, wherein theprocessor of said network coordinator is programmed to selectivelycommand, via the communication module, each of said lighting fixtures toilluminate their respective lighting elements, based on the determinedranking.
 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor of said networkcoordinator begins said selective commanding in response to a user inputselected from a list consisting of a light flash, a button press on anentry station, and a signal from a remote device.
 9. A method forcommissioning a networked lighting system, comprising: sending, from aplurality of lighting fixtures, respective messages to a networkcoordinator associated with an area, each of the respective messagesincluding an identifier associated with the respective lighting fixture;receiving, at the network coordinator, the respective messages;determining, at the network coordinator, a respective signal strengthassociated with each of said respective messages; ranking each of theplurality of lighting fixtures according to the determined signalstrength; sending, from the network coordinator, a message to a highestranked one of said plurality of lighting fixtures, the messageinstructing the highest ranked one to illuminate an associated lightingelement; determining whether said illuminated lighting element islocated within the area; and keeping the highest ranked one in anetworked lighting group if said illuminated lighting element isdetermined to be located within the area, or removing the highest rankedone from said networked lighting group if said illuminated lightingelement is determined not to be located within the area.
 10. The methodof claim 9, wherein the step of sending respective messages to a networkcoordinator is in response to one of a light flash provided to a lightsensing element associated with each of said plurality of lightingfixtures, an occupancy condition sensed by an occupancy sensing elementassociated with each of said plurality of lighting fixtures, or anactivation message sent by the network coordinator.
 11. The method ofclaim 9, the network coordinator further comprises a transceiver forcommunicating with a remote device, the remote device running anapplication configured to enable a user to control at least one aspectof the network coordinator.
 12. The method of claim 9, furthercomprising, before the step of sending, from the network coordinator, amessage to a highest ranked one of said plurality of lighting fixtures,adding each of the plurality of lighting fixtures, from which therespective messages have been received by the network coordinator, to anetworked lighting group.
 13. The method of claim 9, wherein the stepsof sending, from the network coordinator, a message to a highest rankedone of said plurality of lighting fixtures and determining whether saidilluminated lighting element is located within the area are repeateduntil one of the plurality of lighting fixtures in the ranked list isdetermined to be in the area, wherein network coordinator keeps thelighting fixture illuminating its lighting element in the networkedlighting group and identifies it as the first grouped lighting fixture.14. The method of claim 13, wherein determining whether said illuminatedlighting element is located within the area is performed by aninstaller, the installer confirms that the illuminated lighting fixtureis located within the area by pressing a button, soft key or other dataentry feature on an entry station, or by pressing a button on a remotedevice.
 15. The method of claim 9, further comprising: sending, from thenetwork coordinator, a message to a second highest ranked lightingfixture of said plurality of lighting fixtures, the message instructingthe second highest ranked lighting fixture to illuminate an associatedlighting element; determining whether said lighting element associatedwith said second highest ranked lighting fixture is located within thearea; and keeping the second highest ranked one in the networkedlighting group if said illuminated lighting element is determined to belocated within the area, or removing the second highest ranked lightingfixture from the networked lighting group if said illuminated lightingelement is determined not to be located within the area.
 16. The methodof claim 15, wherein sending, from the network coordinator, a messageinstructing the second highest ranked lighting fixture to illuminate anassociated lighting element comprises instructing the second highestranked lighting fixture to cycle its lighting element through a seriesof on and off cycles.
 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the step ofdetermining whether the lighting element associated with the secondhighest ranked lighting fixture is located within the area comprisessensing, at a light sensing element associated with one of saidplurality of lighting fixtures, whether an ambient light level isincreased when the lighting element associated with the second highestranked lighting fixture is illuminated.
 18. The method of claim 15,wherein when light sensing element of the first highest ranked lightingfixture determines the ambient light level to have increased when thelighting element associated with the second highest ranked lightingfixture is illuminated, wherein the network coordinator keeps the secondhighest ranked lighting fixture in the networked lighting group.
 19. Themethod of claim 9, further comprising: providing a light pulse to alighting sensing element of an additional lighting fixture locatedwithin the area; sending, from the additional lighting fixture, amessage including an identifier associated with the respective lightingfixture; receiving, at the network coordinator, the message from theadditional lighting fixture; and adding, by the network coordinator, theadditional lighting fixture to the networked lighting group.
 20. Themethod of claim 9, wherein after determining the highest ranked one islocated within the area, activating an automated grouping processcomprising: sending, from the network coordinator, a message to thehighest ranked one to turn off its associated lighting element; sending,from the network coordinator, a message to a next lighting fixture, themessage instructing the next lighting fixture to illuminate anassociated lighting element; determining whether said illuminatedlighting element is located within the area by monitoring one or morelight sensing elements in the one or more lighting fixtures in thenetworked lighting group for an increase in ambient light level in thearea; and keeping the next lighting fixture in the networked lightinggroup if said illuminated lighting element is determined to be locatedwithin the area, or removing the next lighting fixture from saidnetworked lighting group if said illuminated lighting element isdetermined not to be located within the area.